Effects of 12-week training and melatonin intake on biological adaptations and anthropometric status in postmenopausal women: Randomized controlled trial

Aim Investigating the effectiveness of 12-week concurrent training associated with nocturnal melatonin supplementation on biological and anthropometric data in postmenopausal women (PMW). Methods Thirty-eight PMW were randomly allocated to three groups: concurrent training (3 sessions/week) associated with melatonin (CTM, n = 13) or placebo (CTP: n = 13) (3 mg/night), and control group (C, n = 12). Biochemical and hematological parameters, body composition, waist (WC) and hip (HC) circumferences were assessed pre(T0)- and post(T1)-intervention. Results Alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase (CK), alkaline phosphatase, glucose, total cholesterol ( p < 0.05), aspartate aminotransferase, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ( p < 0.01) decreased while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( p < 0.001) increased in CTM group compared with C group at T1 and over time only in CTM group (all: p ≤ 0.001 except glucose, total cholesterol: p < 0.01, LDL-C: p < 0.05). Comparatively with CTP, triglycerides ( p < 0.05) and LDL-C ( p < 0.01) decreased in CTM group at T1. In CTP group, CK ( p < 0.05) decreased and phosphorus ( p < 0.001) increased over time. Only in CTM group, leukocytes and urea ( p < 0.05) decreased while mineral salts (all: p ≤ 0.01 except phosphorus: p < 0.001) increased over time. Fat mass, WC and HC decreased, while muscle mass (MM) increased over time in CTM (all: p < 0.001) and CTP (all: p ≤ 0.001 except WC: p < 0.01 and MM: p < 0.05) groups. Conclusion Concurrent training associated with melatonin supplementation was beneficial for metabolic profile, cellular damage, selected renal and inflammatory biomarkers, mineral salts, and anthropometric status in PMW. This combined intervention was also more effective than training alone in improving lipid profile (LDL-C and triglycerides). Training alone had benefits on anthropometric data, CK and phosphorus levels.